Nag vs Grumble - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between nag and grumble

is that nag is a small horse; a pony while grumble is a low thundering, rumbling or growling sound.

As verbs the difference between nag and grumble

is that nag is to repeatedly remind or complain to someone in an annoying way, often about insignificant matters while grumble is to make a low, growling or rumbling noise, like a hungry stomach or certain animals.

nag

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) nagge'', cognate with Dutch ''negge

Noun

(en noun)

A small horse; a pony.

An old useless horse.

(obsolete, derogatory) A paramour.

* 1598 , , III. x. 11:

Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt – Whom leprosy o'ertake!

Synonyms

* (old useless horse) dobbin, hack, jade, plug

Coordinate terms

* (old useless horse) bum (racing )

Etymology 2

Probably from a (etyl) source; compare Swedish .

Verb

(nagg)

To repeatedly remind or complain to someone in an annoying way, often about insignificant matters.

To act inappropriately in the eyes of peers, to backstab, to verbally abuse.

To bother with persistent memories.

The notion that he forgot something nagged him the rest of the day.

Other sorts of persistent annoyance, e.g.:

A nagging pain in his left knee

A nagging north wind

Noun

(en noun)

One who .

Anagrams

* * * * ----

grumble

English

Noun

(en noun)

(onomatopoeia) A low thundering, rumbling or growling sound.

The sound made by a hungry stomach.

A complaint.

That whiner is never without a grumble to share.

Derived terms

* grumbly

Verb

(grumbl)

To make a low, growling or rumbling noise, like a hungry stomach or certain animals.

The distant thunder grumbles .

* {{quote-book

, year=1995 , author=Terry C. Johnston , title=Dance on the Wind , page=15 , passage=It made his stomach grumble in protest to think the mule was eating, and here he was worrying about her with an empty belly of his own.}}

To complain; to murmur or mutter with discontent; to make ill-natured complaints in a low voice and a surly manner.

He grumbles about the food constantly, but has yet to learn to cook.

To utter in a grumbling fashion.

* 2001 , Harry Willcox Pfanz, Gettysburg — the first day?

He grumbled that there was no grain "in the country" and that people were talking instead of working to provide it.

Synonyms

* See also

Derived terms

* grumbler